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Tigres, Santos, Rayados defend Liga MX pride in semis

By Thomas Buckley

MONTERREY, MEXICO - FEBRUARY 02: Guido Pizarro of Tigres fights for the ball with Matheus Doria of Santos during the fifth round match between Tigres UANL and Santos Laguna as part of the Torneo Clausura 2019 Liga MX at Universitario Stadium on February 02, 2019 in Monterrey, Mexico. (Photo by Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images)
MONTERREY, MEXICO - FEBRUARY 02: Guido Pizarro of Tigres fights for the ball with Matheus Doria of Santos during the fifth round match between Tigres UANL and Santos Laguna as part of the Torneo Clausura 2019 Liga MX at Universitario Stadium on February 02, 2019 in Monterrey, Mexico. (Photo by Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images) /
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Soccer fans in northern Mexico are rooting for a Clásico Regio in the CCL final as the Tigres and Monterrey prepare for their respective semifinal series.

There will be at least one Liga MX squad in the Concacaf Champions League Final, but – sorry Santos – fans in Nuevo León will be pulling for the two Monterrey clubs to emerge from the semifinals.

The Tigres host Santos in the first leg of their semifinal series while Sporting Kansas City will take on the Rayados in Monterrey on Thursday. The return matches will take place next week, with the Tigres paying a visit to Estadio Corona in Torreón and Monterrey traveling to Kansas City to face Sporting KC.

Santos at Tigres

The one big trophy that coach Tuca Ferretti and the Tigres have yet to hoist is the Concacaf Champions League trophy. Tuca told reporters this week that his team must take advantage of the opportunity this season, perhaps demonstrating that he has overcome his usual disdain for non-league matches.

The Tigres reached the CCL Final in 2016 and again in 2017, losing first to América then to Pachuca. Ferretti would like nothing more than to claim the title this season and participate in the Club World Cup in December.

Santos is also a two-time CCL finalist, losing in 2012 and 2013 to the Rayados who also won the 2011 final against Real Salt Lake.

The Tigres are in second place in the Liga MX, 3 points clear of third place Monterrey, while Santos is a distant 10th, 11 points back of the Tigres. Ferretti’s men are coming off a 3-0  battering at the hands of América and will again be without star striker André-Pierre Gignac who is rehabbing a sprained knee ligament.

Without Gignac, the Tigres will rely on Enner Valencia and Edu Vargas up front with Luis Quiñones and Javier Aquino on the wings. They will face a fine Santos defense led by central defenders Dória and Hugo Nervo, as well as skipper José Abella.

The Tigres’ two-headed midfield attack dog of Rafa Carioca and Guido Pizarro will chase Santos playmaker Diego Valdés, trying to cut down passing lanes to Julio Furch and Javier Correa, the Santos strike partnership.

At the back, Carlos Salcedo and Hugo Ayala will try to keep the space in front of goalie Nahuel Guzmán clear. Guzmán did not have a particularly good game against América so he will be eager to make amends in front of the home crowd.

Midfielder José Juan “Gallito” Vázquez could be the key to the match. If he can disrupt Monterrey possessions and direct Santos into their attacking third, they will like their chances. Santos goalie Jonathan Orozco is clever with the ball at his feet and he often starts the team’s attack with precision long balls.

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Coach Salvador Reyes juggled his line-up over the weekend and it did not work as Santos was upset by lowly Atlas, perhaps looking ahead to this match against the Tigres.

Santos has underperformed in the league this season, but looked dangerous in the CCL. The Tigres defeated visiting Santos 2-1 on Matchday 5 (Feb. 2).

To reach the semifinal, the Tigres beat Costa Rica’s Saprissa and the Houston Dynamo of MLS to reach the semifinal, while Santos crushed Honduran champion Marathon by an aggregate score of 11-2, then bounced the New York Red Bulls by a 6-2 global score.

American ref Ismail Elfath has been given the task of maintaining order on the pitch at the Estadio Universitario.

Sporting KC at Monterrey

The Rayados will look to attack from the opening whistle and test the Sporting defense, hoping to take a comfortable advantage with them on the road for the second-leg match.

Monterrey boasts the second-best offense in Liga MX, averaging more than 2 goals a game. They will have to be careful about getting too many men forward, however, as KC is averaging nearly 3 goals a game in the MLS.

Rogelio Funes Mori is the point man for Monterrey, with Dorlan Pabón, Avilés Hurtado and Rodolfo Pizarro capable of taking on the role of playmaker – Pabón with his crosses, Hurtado with his speed on the wing and Pizarro with his dribbling and passing skills.

The key for the Rayados will be in midfield where Celso Ortiz, Carlos Rodríguez and Jonathan González are capable defenders, effective at cutting off attacks and shielding the back line. Nico Sánchez is the “jefe” on defense and he has teamed up well with César Montes, limiting the shots that Marcelo Barovero has to face.

Sporting KC is led by playmaking midfielder Johnny Russell with Gerso Fernandes and Krisztian Nemeth up front. Nemeth is the No. 2 goal-scorer in MLS, only trailing Carlos Vela. Matt Besler and Graham Zusi lead the defense, which has given up just 4 goals in 4 games.

Monterrey defeated El Salvador’s Alianza and reigning MLS champion Atlanta United to reach the semifinals. Sporting KC knocked out Toluca and Panama’s Independiente to reach the Final Four.

Sporting KC will be aiming to become the first MLS team to win the CCL, but they will  have to get past two more Liga MX clubs to hoist the trophy.

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